Let me postulate the following:
1. Tom Doak and his associates are in their prime, and have been for at least the last five years.
2. Tom puts maximum effort into each project. Together with his talented assocaites and shapers, hundreds of days are spent analyzing and perfecting each job.
3. Tom always figures out the best possible routing.
If these are true, then how good each course Tom does is purely a function of how good the land is for golf. Therefore, since he picks different and unique pieces of property, I think Tom's courses the last few years are rather equal, with the possible exception of the Rawls course, which I haven't seen, but know that it is a flat piece of ground.
I don't ever remember Tom saying he thought he routed a course wrong. I once heard him say some work is more inspired than others.
I rarely if ever see what I would consider counter-intuitive strategy. Renaissance Golf simply doesn't build counter-intuitive holes. They all make strategic sense.
Stone Eagle is a steeper site than Rock Creek. I made sure to walk Rock Creek, so I could compare the two walks. Stone Eagle is shorter, but much more intense. Rock Creek is an easier but longer walk. Jonathan, did you actually walk Stone Eagle? It's very difficult but can be managed.
Although there are some aspects of Sebonack I like better than Rock Creek, I've got Rock Creek over Sebonack. And as everybody knows by now, I prefer Ballyneal over Pacific Dunes by a nose these days. Actually, they are my two favorite courses, and would give each a 10.
I have two more posts I'd like to make before watching from the sidelines for a while.